New Suzuki President Appointed : Management: Brea-based American arm of the Japanese manufacturer says appointment is part of a routine shuffle.

In what officials said is a routine shuffle of its top management, American Suzuki Motor Corp. has promoted Yoshinori Fujii to the position of president.

The Brea company is the U.S. importing and marketing arm of the Japanese automotive, motorcycle and and marine products manufacturer Suzuki Motor Corp. Japanese companies typically transfer the top officers of their foreign subsidiaries back to headquarters in Japan after several years of overseas duty.

The shuffle at American Suzuki began with the rotation of former Chairman and President Kenjii Shimizu back to Suzuki’s corporate offices in Hamamatsu, Japan.

As part of the management changes, all effective today, Masao Nagura, previously assistant to the president, assumes the responsibilities of executive vice president--the post Fujii had held. Marketing director Gary Anderson becomes vice president of sales and marketing for the automotive division.

Sokichi Nakano replaces Shimizu as American Suzuki’s chairman and will remain in Japan.

Shimizu was American Suzuki Motor Corp.’s chairman and was based in Japan when Consumers Union reported in 1988 that the U.S. company’s hot-selling Samurai sports utility vehicle was dangerous because its narrow wheel base and high center of gravity could cause it to tip over in tight turns. He was transferred to Brea as president of the company to oversee damage control.

Subsequent studies have discredited that report--all such vehicles can be tipped if improperly handled--but a federal test showed the Samurai to be no more unstable than other brands. But Samurai sales plummeted and have never recovered. The company has all but replaced the Samurai with the Sidekick, a sports utility vehicle with a wider wheelbase and lower center of gravity.

Under Shimizu’s guidance, Suzuki settled lawsuits with the attorneys general in seven states by agreeing to publicize the Samurai’s handling differences from conventional cars.

American Suzuki’s line still includes the Samurai, but much better sellers are the two- and four-door Sidekicks. The company also markets the Swift two-door coupe, the Swift GA three-door hatchback and the four-door Swift sedan.